WTA Madrid - Li Na vs. Tamira Paszek (16:00 BST)

Li Na takes on Tamira Paszek this afternoon in the first round of the 2013 Mutua Madrid Open (16:00 BST start).

Li has a tough draw at the WTA Madrid, with Venus Williams potentially awaiting in round two and then Caroline Wozniacki in the last sixteen. However, she's certainly playing well enough at the moment to negotiate both those hurdles.

Since returning to the tour from an ankle injury, Li made the quarter-finals in Miami and then the final in Stuttgart last month. She's one of the very best clay-courters in the world and her ability to use the angles and open up the court is tough to deal with.

Li has won both her career matches against the 22-year-old Paszek, and both victories over the world No. 31 have come in straight sets. We expect a similar outcome later today.